Broom-bundle-making machine



H. D. NEFF.

BRGOIVI BUNDLE MAKING MACHINE.

APPLmATloN rlLED'No.v.12.192o.

E ,.42 l 8 1 2 Patented July 4, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ya d. Hilllu u n u HARRY D. NEFF, 01?' CAMBRIDGE,

CHUSET'IS,` ASSIGNOR TO REFELT BROOBT COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS,A' CORPORATION OF IJIASSACHUSETTS.

BR-OOll-BUNDLE-MAKING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Judy 4, 1922.

Application filed November 12, 1920. Serial No. 423,730.

Machines, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawingsrepresenting like part-s.

My present invention relates to brooms, and more particularly tomachines for making` bundles for use in section brooms.

As is well known, the ordinary form of broom yis unsatisfactory anduneconomical, as it is practically useless before the broom libres areworn out. This is because the bundles of broom. fibres wear principallyat the corners, and a considerable number of i'ibres in the middleportion of the bundle are still usable when the broom is unserviceablebecause of the excessive wear on the corners.

With a view to obviating the objectional features noted above, I havedevised an improved formA of broom,v consisting broadly in` a hollowreceiving head into which may be. placed a plurality of small bundles.Such a construction is described and claimed in my copending applicationSer. No. 373,595, filed April 13, 1920, Patent 1,350,514, dated August24, 1920, and Patent 1,367,753, dated Feb. 8, 1921. The arrangement ofthe bundles insuch head may be changed at will, so that the libresof thevarious bundles will receive` equal wear, or the worn corner bundles maybe replaced by new. bundles.

In my development of the broom industry, as above outlined, I have foundit necessary to` devise eiiicient and economical means'to manufacturesuch bundles, and I have found the best bundle to be one in which thefibres are securely fastened at one end by 'a metal strap or ring, suchring when in operative position being oval shaped to more securely gripthe broom fibres and to fit into the broom head.

To accomplish these results in a satisfactory manner,- I have devisedthe present invention for rapidly and economically tightening the metalring to the broom fibre y bundles.

The principal object of my presentinvention, therefore, is an improvedmachine for tion;

positioning and securing a bundle of broom fibres.

Other objects and novel features of construction and arrangement ofparts constituting my improved machine will appear as the description ofthe invention progresses.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of myinvention,

c F ig. 1

binding rings on is a front elevation, partly in sec- Fig. 2 is asectional side elevation, on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view;

Id` ig. 4 is a detail of one of the half dies; an

Fig. 5 is a detail of one of the broom units, showingthe metal band inposition and before being `firmly secured'to the unit.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a base having formed integraltherewith uprights 11 and 12 in which are formed bearings 13, 13 and 14,14, as shown.

A lower pair of these bearings 13 and 14 are in horizontal alinementwith each other and have rotatably mounted therein a shaft l15, whilethe upper pair of bearings 13 and 14 are also in horizontal alinementwith each other and directly over the lower pair, `and have rotatablymounted therein a shaft 16. Adjacent the bearings 13 and rigidlyattached to the shafts 15 and 16 respectively, are circular members 17and 26 respectively.

The member 17 is provided with gear teeth 18 at one edge, while theremainder of the face of such member is provided with vaplurality'ofcircumferential grooves 19,

such remainder of the face of such member being provided with aplurality of recesses 20, conveniently spaced about the periphery of themember and in which are clamped half dies 21. The contour of these halfdies is `such that they flare downwardly at 22 while the remainder 23 ishorizontal, this contour being necessary in order to impart the propershape to the material worked upon. They are held in position in therecesses 20 by screws 24, or in any other suitable manner. The othermember 26 is of less diameter than the diameter of the member 17, and isprovided with gear teeth 25 which mesh with the gear teeth 18 on thesaid member 17 and thus act to rot-ate said member. This member 26 isalso provided ing pulley 29.

On the shaft 15, adjacent the upright 12, is a wheel 30, equal indiameter to the diametrical distance between the bottom surfaces 23 ofoppositely arranged half dies '21 on the member 17 while on the shaft 16adjacent the upright 12, is a wheel 31, equal in diameter to thediametrical distance be tween the bottom surfaces 23 of .oppositelytween the 40, having adjacent one end arranged half dies 21 on themember 26, this construction providing` a space 32 between such wheels30 and 31 through which the broom bundles may be fed.

Mounted on any suitable support (not shown) are shafts 33 and 34parallelly arranged with respect to each other and to the shafts 15 and16. Pulleys 35 are rotatably mounted on these shafts and carry a belt orcarrier 36, of fabric, leather, or other suitable ymaterial providednear one edge with a plurality of equally spaced holes 38 which meshwith a plurality of equally spaced radially projecting members 37 on theinner side of the member 17. The upper surface of the belt 36 isarranged in a horizontal plane adjacent to but slightly below the face23 of the half dies 21 carried by the member 17, as shown in Fig. 2. Themembers 37 meshing with the holes 38 in the belt 36 ensure a surfacespeed ortravel of said'belt equal to the surface speed or travel of thecircumference on which the face 23 of the half dies 21V is located.Attached to the belt 36 is a plurality of troughs 39,

these troughs extending crosswise of the belt, the distance betweentroughs being equal to the circumferential distance behalf dies 21 onthe members 17 and 26, and so arranged with relation to said halfmembers as to be in alinement therewith as the half members 21 on themembers 17 and 26, come into registry.

The broom bundles or units are comprised of a plurality of vparallellyarranged fibres a cylindrical band 41 of sheet metal, this band beingprovided with diametrically arranged longitudinal ygrooves ordepressions l2,which depressions assist in holding the fibres ll() inposition when the vband l1 is secured to the bundle.

The operation of my improved devices is as follows: The operator standsat the left grooves or depressions l2 inthe band lll,k

lgive direction to the flow of metal as the bands pass through the halfdies'and the said grooves or depressions will be more pronounced afterthe aboveoperation, .this operation therefore forcing the grooves deeplyinto the bundles. During this operation,.

the bundles remain vin the troughs 39 and are discharged therefrom intoafsuitable re-V ceptacle as they pass over'the pulley.

While I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention somewhatin detail, it is to be understood that k.l may vary the size, shape, andarrangement'of parts constituting my device within wide limits withoutdeparting from the spirit ofthe invention. Further, while l havevdescribed and claimed the various novel combinations of elements asconstituting a broom bundle making machine,-it is of course obvious thatthe use of my machine is not to be thus limited, and l may manufacturebundles for brooms, brushes and the like thereon.

f My invention is further described and delined in the form of claims asfollows:

:1. ln a machine of the character described, the combination Vof a pairof positively driven wheels, a plurality of half dies, in the peripheryof said wheels, the half dies in each wheel being adapted tosuccessively register with each other during the-.rotation Y being equalto the circumferential Vdistance.

between half dies on the wheels, and means for brinnging each troughinsuccession into registry with the registering half dies on the wheels. 1

In a machine of the character described, the combination of a pair ofpositively driven wheels, means for rotating said wheels at equalcircumferential speed, a plurality of half dies on the periphery of saidwheels, Athe circumferential distance between half dies in each wheelbeing equal, said half dies being adapted to register with each other asthe wheels rotate, a belt provided with a plurality of parallellyarranged troughs, the distance between each trough being equal to thecircumferential distance between half dies on the wheels, driving meanson one of said wheels for moving the belt at the same speed as thecircumferential speed of said wheel, whereby each trough in successionis brought into registry with the registering half dies on the wheels.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a pair ofpositively driven wheels, mounted tangentially to each other andprovided with interlocking positive driving' means, a plurality of halfdies in the periphery of said wheels, the half dies in each wheel beingadapted to successively register with each other during the rotation ofthe wheels, a bundle feeding belt, bundle holders on said belt, andmeans for positively driving said belt from one of said wheels at asurface speed equal to the circumferential speed of said wheel wherebysaid bundle holders are brought successively into registry with the halfdies.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a pair ofshafts, a pair of positively driven wheels, mounted tangentially to eachother and provided with interlocking positive driving means, a pluralityof half dies in the periphery of said wheels, the half dies in eachwheel being adapted to successively register with each other during therotation of the wheels, a bundle feeding belt, bundle holders on saidbelt. and means for positively driving said belt from one of said wheelsat a surface speed equal to the circumferential speed of said wheel, anda wheel on each shaft vspaced apart from the driving wheels and defininga passage through which the bundles are supported and fed.

In testimony whereof, l have signed my name to this specification.

HARRY D. NEFF.

